<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>See Through Me by magnoliafilms</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26871352">See Through Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnoliafilms/pseuds/magnoliafilms'>magnoliafilms</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Dead Boys in Our Home Town [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ghost!Jisung, Halloween, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Mentions of Death, Side Hyuckle, Urban Fantasy, Vampire!Jaemin, side noren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 19:21:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,753</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26871352</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnoliafilms/pseuds/magnoliafilms</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jisung knows he’s smudgy at best, and when he looks down at his hands, the blurriness along the edges only confirms this phenomenon. But the mirror confirms that he’s there. That he still exists even when he feels tiringly transparent. His roommates have become accustomed to the fact that Jisung isn’t always all there, but going out in public is still a treacherous journey. <br/>So when Jaemin insists that he attend a Halloween party, he knows it's bound to end badly... Right?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Na Jaemin/Park Jisung</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Dead Boys in Our Home Town [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1995517</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>106</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Challenge #2 — tricks; treats; and terrors</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>See Through Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This technically is a sequel to “You’ve Got Wings...”, but I like to think that they can be read separately. Again, written in one day, and unbeta'd, I'm sorry :)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jisung often finds himself in the bathroom of his apartment. Surprisingly, the mirror is the one place he’s the most certain of himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knows he’s smudgy at best, and when he looks down at his hands, the blurriness along the edges only confirms this phenomenon. But the mirror confirms that he’s there. That he still exists even when he feels tiringly transparent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His roommates have become accustomed to the fact that Jisung isn’t always all there, but going out in public is still a treacherous journey. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He supposes it could be worse. His roommate Jaemin can only see his reflection at night, and breaks out in hives whenever he eats anything containing garlic. (Side effects of only being </span>
  <em>
    <span>half</span>
  </em>
  <span> vampire.) And Renjun wasn’t lucky enough to inherit his mother’s talent for witchcraft and is now forced to live with two oddities. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Jisung is technically dead. He doesn’t remember dying, and he’s pretty certain that he’s still growing and getting older. He never really had anyone to teach him how the whole “undead” thing works, but as time goes on, he’s getting more and more used to it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s one afternoon when he’s leaning against the bathroom sink, staring deep into his own smudgy eyes that Jaemin comes bursting in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jeno’s roommate Hyuck is hosting a halloween party, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>we</span>
  </em>
  <span> have been invited.” He announces loudly. Jeno is Renjun’s shapeshifter boyfriend, they started dating after Jaemin set them up through a dating app. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cool,” Jisung says shortly, “I’m not going.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turns the tap and runs cold water down the sink, splashing some on his face. It’s stuff like that that messes with his head. How he can be so seemingly solid and yet look so… Unnatural. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t miss Jaemin’s disheartened expression. “Come </span>
  <em>
    <span>on</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Jisung.” he whines, “We have to go.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung grabs a hand towel off the rack and dries his face. “You know that I don’t do well at parties, Jaem. This is a bad idea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He steps out of the bathroom and makes his way to his bedroom, but Jaemin follows behind him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But Renjun and Jeno are doing a couples costume, we </span>
  <em>
    <span>have</span>
  </em>
  <span> to go and see that.” Jaemin persists.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can see before they leave,” He pauses and turns a piercing glare on Jaemin, “Or better yet. You can go, and you can send me photos.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He makes his way into his room and as he’s turning to shut the door behind him, Jaemin slips in through the gap. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung rolls his eyes, “Stop it.” He says frostily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin fixes him with a pout and pleading eyes, “Please,” he says rather sulkily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jaemin, remember what happened last time we went to a party?</span>
  <em>
    <span> It doesn't work</span>
  </em>
  <span>. People tend to get kinda freaked out by me.” Jisung mutters</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But it’s a costume party!” Jaemin says, gesticulating wildly with his hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung says nothing, only raises an eyebrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can go together! You can wear a sheet and go as a ghost and I–” He flicks out his fangs, one of his favourite party tricks, “Can go as a vampire.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung rolls his eyes, “This’ll never work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The corners of Jaemin’s mouth curl up into a devious smile. His eyes flit around the room and soon enough he’s pulled the wrinkled bed sheet from Jisung’s poorly made bed and tossed it on top of the poor boy. Tackling the defenseless ghoul and pinning him against his bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know,” Jaemin says with a devilish grin as Jisung squirms beneath him, “I’d say you look pretty ghostly to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung stops wriggling and instead fixes Jaemin with another of his famous glares. “I hate you.” He says firmly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No you don’t,” Jaemin says as he rolls off of Jisung, offering a hand to pull the boy up. “So what do you say?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And his eyes are so glittery that Jisung can’t imagine saying no. It’d be like kicking a puppy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah…” He says with a sigh, and as Jaemin punches the air and dances out of his room, Jisung can’t help but tell himself that he needs to get over the massive crush he’s harbouring on the boy. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>🎃</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Halloween rolled around rather quickly, and soon enough, Jisung was back in the bathroom, glaring at his smudgy reflection and cleaning his face. If he was going to be covering it for the whole evening, he’d at least like to be hygienic. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin had bought him a cheap set of bedsheets that he could cut up and wear as a costume and had helped him decorate accordingly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung’s just lifting up the sheet to drape it over his head, when Jaemin appears at the door. He’s combed back his hair and dressed himself in all black, finishing the costume off with a large cloak draped around his shoulders..</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His shirt’s unbuttoned just enough to reveal his angular collarbones and Jisung finds himself staring for what could definitely be classed as ‘a little too long’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin poses with his hands on his hips, “What do you think?” He’s flicked out his teeth, and talking around them tends to give him a mild lisp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung tears his eyes away, returning his attention to the sheet he holds in his hands. “You look nice.” He mumbles quietly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin grins widely, glancing at the sheet Jisung seems so focused on. “Do you need some help with that?” He asks, reaching his hands out to take the fabric from the younger boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung lets it go easily, allowing Jaemin to pull the sheet over his head and position the holes over his eyes and mouth. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is humiliating,” he says as he glares at his reflection in the mirror. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” Jaemin says quickly, turning to face him, “No, you look cute.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung has to admit, he’s grateful for the material masking the steadily growing blush covering his face. “Sure.” He manages out, stepping away from Jaemin slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin grabs his hand, “Come see Renjun and Jeno’s costume! They’re out in the kitchen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung rolls his eyes as he’s rather forcefully dragged from the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’ll give them credit, they’ve definitely put the most effort into their outfits, though Jeno does appear as though he’s cheating a little. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renjun’s sitting on the couch, phone in hand, dressed in a black buttoned shirt and matching witches hat, while a familiar looking black cat lounges across his shoulders. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looks up when Jaemin and Jisung come in and smiles, shrugging to get the cat's attention. Upon seeing the pair, the feline jumps behind the couch and after a moment, there stands Jeno, with a set of black cat ears protruding from a mop of similarly coloured hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin manages to voice Jisung’s thoughts, “Are you sure that isn’t cheating, Mr Lee?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeno offers him a bright smile. He’s quick to respond, “Rich coming from you, Mr Na.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are we all ready to go?” Renjun asks, standing up from the couch and glancing at Jisung, who nods his head silently.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They walk to Jeno and Donghyuck’s shared apartment. It’s not far in the mild autumnal air and Jisung finds Jaemin wrapping himself in Jisung’s costume whenever the bitter wind gets too cold. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Donghyuck meets them at the door. He laughs at Jeno’s ears when the group arrive and invites them all in with a smile. Renjun leaves with Jeno to meet some of his friends and Jisung finds himself left with Donghyuck and Jaemin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s never been very good at instigating conversation so he simply hovers behind them as they catch up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jaemin!” Donghyuck says suddenly, “I’ve just remembered that we invited some other vamps, you’ve gotta come meet them!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin agrees quickly, and not wanting to be one to invite himself along, Jisung simply stays behind. Finding a spot by the wall to hide is easy enough, he’ll just have to wait until one of his friends returns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few minutes pass, and out of the corner of his eye he spies someone edging their way along the wall towards him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re Renjun’s friend right?” The boy says, he’s wearing a masquerade mask and a wide brimmed hat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uhm, yeah.” Jisung says slowly, eying the boy nervously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Chenle,” He says, sticking out a hand, “Donghyuck’s boyfriend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s something comforting in that phrase, and Jisung can’t work out whether it’s banishing the tiny jealous monster that had crept in when Jaemin had left with Donghyuck, or if it’s simply reassuring to have someone to talk to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But as Jisung shifts the fabric of his sheet to shake the boy’s hand, he realises something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re smudgy too…” He mutters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chenle frowns at him, “Pardon?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I– Sorry, I’m just,” He pulls his arm free, holding it out beside Chenle’s, “You’re like me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can’t believe he didn’t notice it before. They’ve got the same smeary complexion, and matching blurry edges. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow,” Chenle says, briefly looking him up and down, “Your costume is a little </span>
  <em>
    <span>on the nose</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” He adds with a chuckle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung smiles, “Jaemin suggested it… People tend to get–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A little freaked out.” Chenle finishes with a knowing look. “I get it.” He gestures to his face, “Hence the mask.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to admit,” Jisung says slowly, “I don’t know much about all this, no one really taught me about the whole ‘ghostly’ thing…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chenle shrugs, “Me neither. But I’ve just been trying to work it out as I go. Maybe we can help each other out.” He pauses, “Oh! You got a phone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung nods and fumbles in his pocket for the small device. He unlocks it and hands it over, watching as Chenle opens a new contact and types in his cell number. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Text me if you need anything,” he says with a smile as he hands the phone back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Same to you,” Jisung says earnestly as someone calls from across the crowd.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lele!” It’s Donghyuck, dragging Jaemin behind him, “I’ve been looking for you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chenle turns and presses a kiss to his cheek, “I was just making friends, turns out Jisung and I have more in common than we thought.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shoots Jisung a smile as Donghyuck announces something about needing a drink. He takes Chenle’s hand in his own, dragging the boy away, leaving Jaemin and Jisung alone in the crowd. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Chenle, huh?” Jaemin asks curiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung lifts up a hand, “He’s like me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin’s eyes light up, “That’s fantastic, Ji! Hyuck introduced me to a couple of vamps upstairs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung offers him an encouraging smile as a girl in a set of prosthetic wings nudges past. The song playing over the speakers changes into something a little quieter. It’s almost as though the wind gets blown out of Jaemin’s sails. Something in Jaemin’s face changes, and suddenly he’s looking at Jisung a little differently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you take your costume off?” He asks quietly, “I miss seeing your dumb face.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung laughs quietly, glancing around. “But, what if someone sees?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’ll be ok, I’ll fight them off,” Jaemin says quickly, balling up his fists like he’s ready to take on an opponent in an instant. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung sighs, he’s never been any good at saying no to Jaemin. He looks around one last time before lifting up the sheet and folding it over his arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin beams at him, and it’s that brilliant smile that reminds Jisung of how he’s always felt. It’s kind of dark in the apartment and his eyes are so blindingly bright and the hand he’s just laid to rest on Jisung’s forearm is so warm. Maybe he should just come out and say it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Jaemin, I’m hopelessly in love with you.</span>
  </em>
  <span> To hell with the consequences. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jaemin…” He begins waveringly, “I–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin cuts him off, “Jisung, I– I want to tell you something, and it might mess up our friendship, but I promise I’ll leave you alone afterwards, but I just think you should know…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s something fearful in his eyes, and Jisung wants to pretend he’s not terrified of what Jaemin’s about to say. It seems too quiet, like the gentle bubbling of their fellow partygoers is fading He sucks in a shaky breath, “Ok…” he says quietly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin doesn’t move his hand, only breaks the piercing eye contact they’d been holding. He casts his gaze to the floor. He breathes in slowly as though he’s bracing himself, “Jisung, I think I like you. I’m not good at this stuff, I know, and– Well, I just thought you should know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung’s a little too startled to say anything, he just stares at Jaemin, opening and closing his mouth like some transparent goldfish. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin finally looks up at him again and it’s jarring to see such a serious expression. But it only reinforces what he already knew. Jaemin means it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Say something, Jisung,” He says quietly, imploring him with his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jaemin, I– What? You–” Jisung stammers, his eyes flick down to the ground, he’s lost the confidence from earlier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin fixes him with an understanding look, “No, it’s ok. I’m sorry, I’ll leave you alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then Jaemin’s walking away, and Jisung’s left doing his best goldfish impression once more. He drops his costume on the ground and starts weaving through the crowd, he has to catch Jaemin before it’s too late. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He finds Jaemin in the crowd and latches onto his hand, spinning him around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jisung?” Jaemin says cautiously, “What are you–”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And suddenly Jisung’s pulling him in and pressing his mouth against Jaemin’s. It’s warm like his hands and Jisung doesn’t have time to worry about people being scared of him because </span>
  <em>
    <span>holy shit.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin’s hands are winding around his waist and pulling him in closer and he’s biting at Jisung’s bottom lip and Jisung’s always wondered what Jaemin’s teeth would feel like against his tongue. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then Jaemin’s pulling away and holding a thumb up to his mouth, cupping Jisung’s cheek in his hand. “I– Wow– That was– Wow.” His eyes are wide and he’s looking for something in Jisung’s expression, and whispering, “Please tell me that wasn’t like… A sympathy kiss or something because </span>
  <em>
    <span>god damn.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Jaemin, I’m hopelessly in love with you.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>And like that Jisung says it out loud. He just blurts it out like it’s nothing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Jaemin’s staring back at him like he’s the only one in the room and they’re standing so close to each other because he still hasn’t let Jisung go.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then he’s crashing his mouth back on Jisung’s and kissing him like he’s never wanted anything more in his life. Jisung’s hands climb up Jaemin’s back and he twists his fingers into the hair at the back of Jaemin’s head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung’s working his tongue into Jaemin’s mouth and curling it around his pointed incisors. Jaemin hums against his lips and slides his hand down Jisung’s cheek to slip it under the collar of his shirt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then there’s a tap on his shoulder and he’s prying himself off of Jaemin and turning around in embarrassment. He feels a little too vulnerable out in the open like this, but Jaemin keeps a comforting hand around his waist. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry to interrupt,” Renjun says slowly, the smile on his face is wide, “But we’re heading home now. Did you two want to come? Or were you good staying here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung shoots Jaemin a questioning glance. Jaemin only shrugs and whispers, “I don’t mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few guests are beginning to turn their attention on Jisung and without his costume, he’s feeling rather exposed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” He says quietly, “We’ll come.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Renjun nods, turning to lead the way out, threatening to beat anyone staring with his prop broomstick. Jaemin gently pulls Jisung along, his arm shifting to link his fingers with Jisung’s. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they finally make it outside, Jeno shrinks considerably, resuming his position from earlier, draped across Renjun’s shoulders. Renjun whines about it for a moment, but Jeno drags his tail under Renjun’s chin, shutting him up relatively quickly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin squeezes Jisung’s hand, “You ok?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung nods and squeezes Jaemin’s hand back. Without Jisung’s costume to use as a barrier against the wind, Jaemin instead resorts to wrapping himself around Jisung whenever it gets particularly chilly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re warm,” Jaemin insists and presses a kiss to his cheek whenever Jisung glances at him sideways. “And nice to look at.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jisung turns his head away, embarrassed. But Jaemin’s on the other side, ready to capture him in a gentle kiss. “I hate you,” Jisung mutters, but there’s no real effort behind his words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No you don’t,” Jaemin says, and pulls him in again. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/thekeehorse">twt</a><br/>• <a href="https://curiouscat.me/ghoulhwa">cc</a><br/></p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>